Ships and Shield Walls

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Drake, Nash, Whitaker

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Ships, Seaborne Encounters & Massed Battles in RuneQuest Developed and Written By

Jonathan Drake, Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker

Editing

Lawrence Whitaker

Proof Reading

Alexandra James, JD Holmes & Carol Johnson

Design and Layout

Fred Hicks and Lawrence Whitaker

Artists

Pascal Quidault, Dan MacKinnon Vyacheslav Biryukov & Jeffrey Thomson (123rf.com)

Playtesters

Pablo Castilla, Chris Coulthard, Gabriel Franceschi, Chris Gilmore, Amanda Greenlees, Deborah Greenlees, Arthur Holmes, JD Holmes, Jude Hornburg, Marcus Knapp, Adam Lundgren, Justin Lynas, Martyn Meeks, Brad Milburn, Sebastian Jansson, Sebastian Sandman RuneQuest is a trademark of Moon Design Publications LLC. Used under License by The Design Mechanism. All rights reserved. This edition of Ships & Shield Walls is copyright The Design Mechanism © 2014. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without permission from The Design Mechanism, except as quoted for purposes of illustration, discussion and game play. Reproduction of the material in this book for the purposes of personal or corporate profit, by photographic, electronic, or other methods of retrieval is strictly prohibited.

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Contents

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Ships & Seafaring Sailing Conditions Ships And Galleys Ship To Ship Combat Encounters at Sea Example Ships Mermaids & Mermen

3 4 5 7

10 14 15 Sirens 16 Shield Walls & Battles 17 Battle Components 18 Forces, Units and Formations 19 Phases of Battle 22 Running a Battle 25 28 Battle Actions Spot Rules 28 Battle Actions Tables 30

This book continues an irregular series of rules expansions for RuneQuest 6th Edition. It contains material that also appears in the supplements Shores of Korantia and Mythic Britain, but is presented here for RuneQuest players and Games Masters who do not have either of those volumes.

Ships & Seafaring

T

ravelling by sea is the fastest, and, usually, one of the safest means to cover long distances and explore foreign lands. It is, without doubt, the cheapest and best means to move a cargo. Many ships can make their way for a full 24 hour period, so significant distances can be covered in a relatively short time. On the other hand, sailing for extended periods of time in the open ocean and out of easy reach of a safe port or harbour is highly dangerous. If a ship gets into trouble with the weather, waves or wildlife it can easily be fatal for everyone aboard.

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of the ship and the comforts it can afford. Large animals take up a lot of cargo space and care, which amounts to approximately 8SP per horse per day. Charters can be had from 15SP per day for a small vessel with a three-man crew, and can easily go up to 250SP per day for a larger vessel with an expert captain and a complement of 25 crew.

Sailing in Strategic Time

When an adventure involves travel by sea it is often a good idea to stay in Strategic Time, and allow that the journey is completed as expected. As a rule of thumb, Strategic Time is used when the total time taken for the journey is what matters, and the voyage is an interlude in an adventure rather than part of it – something to be handled quickly before progressing with the action. To work out roughly how long a voyage should take, calculate the distance to travel, then divide by the sailing speed of the ship taken. The result is the time taken in hours. When working around coasts and islands, the rate is a little slower, reducing sailing speed to three quarters. Oared vessels, such as war galleys, normally travel under sail, using the rowing crew for bursts of speed, or to keep the boat moving in a calm.

Taking A Ship

Scheduled passenger services are rare. Except for specialist military vessels, the main purpose of all ships travelling between ports is to transport cargo. People who intend to travel by boat need to go to the docks, find out which vessels are sailing in the direction they want to go, and see if they can negotiate passage. Of course, those who have unlimited funds can charter a vessel for the journey and thereby dictate when it sails. Passage on a ship is not necessarily very expensive. Assuming the passengers provide their own food and are prepared to sleep on deck – often the only option – assume a cost of 1-2SP per person per day, depending on the quality

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Exceeding Travel Distances

gone wildly astray, and come-up with a suitable stretch of empty ocean, or an unknown shore, for the ship to find itself upon before the crew realise they have gone wrong.

Sailing speed cannot be increased unless the winds and weather allow it. For oared ships, the captain can gain extra distance either by pushing the pace, or by denying proper rest breaks to the crew, in either case gaining up to 50% additional distance, at the expense of a level of fatigue per day. Of course, an undead crew can row indefinitely, being immune to fatigue.

Sailing Conditions

The weather is a fundamental consideration for anyone trusting their life and fortune to a sea-going vessel. While weather conditions may be capricious and unpredictable, the truth is that, in most cases, a sea captain waits for conditions to be favourable before setting out on a voyage, and hopes that they may remain so. On the whole, people do not sail at all during those seasons when the weather is both more unpredictable and capable of greater extremes. The Sailing Conditions Table (see page 4) gives a general idea of what sort of conditions are encountered: specifics will differ depending on the setting and campaign world. In most cases, it is a matter of waiting in port until a good moment to set out to sea. Of course, sometimes there is no choice but to risk whatever the gods bring.

Sailing In Local Time

A great deal of fun can be had adventuring at sea rather than just treating the ocean as a thing to be crossed. In order to do that it is necessary to go into a little more detail about ships and sailing. When sailing in local time, the distance and route is plotted, and the time taken to reach a destination calculated according to the vessel’s movement speed, the sailing conditions, and the captain’s Navigation skill.

Boating And Seamanship

When travelling in Local time, Boating and Seamanship become vital skills. Whoever is in charge of running an ocean-going ship must have the Seamanship skill. Boating is used for smaller craft, but at a minimum of one grade of difficulty harder if on the open ocean rather than on rivers, lakes or inshore. These skills are only tested when the ship encounters a hazard, or there is a situation that requires a response from the captain and crew.

Changing Weather

The weather is quite capable of changing during a voyage. Rather than roll for weather conditions every day, assume that the rolled weather will remain the same for 1d4 days in winter, 1d8 days in summer, and 1d6 days in spring or autumn.

Wind Damage

Navigation

Ships suffer damage from strong winds and waves. This battering places stress on the hull and rigging, accumulating a series of, initially, small breakages, that grow in severity as other parts of the vessel have to take-up the strain. Wind damage is inflicted per day of sailing under the determined weather condition. When the weather changes, so too will the daily damage incurred. Damage is calculated by taking the Wind STR value (see RuneQuest page 130), and cross-referencing it against the Damage Modifier table on page 13 of the RuneQuest rules. Thus, damage only ensues when the Wind STR reaches 26 or more. However, the Armour Points of the vessel reduce this damage.

The essential skill to get a vessel from one place to another is Navigation. If the journey is a short hop (less than three days) between locations well known to the ship's captain, the Navigation roll should be Easy; or, if it is a simple journey along a familiar coast on which land and landmarks are always in sight, then the roll should be Very Easy (or treated as an Automatic Success). If the Navigation roll succeeds then the ship arrives at its destination at more-or-less the expected time, unless encounters or disasters of seamanship prevent it from doing so. Should it fail, then a suitable delay is placed on the ship’s arrival at its destination, perhaps resulting in more encounters; the Navigation skill is then rerolled, with each failure adding further delay. If the roll is fumbled then the Games Master should feel free to declare the ship has

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring Example Sailing Conditions Table Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Wind Type

Sailing Speed Modifier

Seaworthiness Roll

01

01-02

01

-

Calm

No movement unless under oar

Easy

02-04

03-05

02-03

01-02

Poor Wind

Reduce by One Third

Standard

05-07

06-08

04-05

03-07

Contrary Wind

Reduce by Half

Standard

08-12

09-14

06-09

07-08

Good Wind

No Adjustment

Easy

13-15

15-16

10-12

09-11

Following Wind

Increase by Half Again

Standard

16-18

17-19

13-17

12-14

Violent Wind

Reduce by Half

Hard

19-20

20

18-20

15-20

Calamitous Wind

Reduce to One Tenth

Formidable

Calm: Insufficient wind to provide impetus for the sails. Poor Wind: The winds are weak; vessels under sail struggle to make enough speed. Wind STR is 2d8-1 Contrary Wind: The wind is blowing in the wrong direction, and requires tacking (a zig-zagging course). Wind Strength is 2d8+14 Good Wind: A good wind blows from the right quarter. Wind Strength is 2d8+29 Following Wind: A powerful tail wind will give the vessel a fast ride across the ocean. Wind Strength is 2d8+44 Violent Wind: Gale force conditions on the very edge of manageable. If the captain fails a Hard Seamanship roll the ship will go badly off course. Wind Strength is 4d8+57 Calamitous Wind: Conditions are deadly due to fierce storms. No captain will take their ship out on that day unless forced to or provided with dependable magic or divine help. If already at sea, the captain must make a Formidable Seamanship roll to hold course. Prevailing Wind STR is 4d8+87

Ships And Galleys

Utility

Ships come in all shapes and sizes, depending on the culture, requirements, milieu and so forth. These rules focus on sail and oar-powered vessels, as found in Fantasy and the Ancient World.

The craft is designed for a very specific purpose, or with restricted access to materials, and cannot be expected to stand-up well to damage and punishment when in situations it was not designed for. On the other hand, a utility vessel may provide its crew with an easier grade skill roll when performing the task it is designed for, and to gain the same advantage itself if a Seaworthiness roll is needed. The basic Seaworthiness for a Utility craft is 30%

Ship Class

For game purposes, every waterborne craft is categorised as one of three basic classes according to its purpose, available tools, materials for construction, and the prevailing technology. The huge variety of circumstances, conditions and technologies that may be encountered mean that many variations and hybrid types exist, and frequent bouts of competitive escalation in vessel size and magical enhancement have also produced some interesting departures from the standard models.

Galley

The ship is proportionally long for its width (beam), with a ratio of approximately 5 or 6:1, and sometimes even more. A galley is built for speed and to accommodate plenty of rowing positions along its length, and with high sides if it is to accommodate more than one bank of oars. Galleys are shallow draft and can usually be beached (dragged onto the shore) as well as ride at anchor. A galley’s specialist design results in some compromise to its stability, or perhaps makes it more fragile. Each vertical bank of oars, after the first, increases the ship’s Size but can also reduce the vessel’s seaworthiness. Most galleys are either warships or private yachts. A war galley is typically 30-40m in length, and 5-6m across the beam. With a full crew at the oars, it can produce sprint speeds, which increase ramming damage, but also allow it to overtake or outmanoeuvre, a vessel dependent on sail alone.

Seaworthiness

The class is the primary factor in determining a vessel’s Seaworthiness, a percentage score that acts like an Endurance skill to resist damage from wind, waves and other hazards. A good captain takes care with his ship - and can augment the Seaworthiness roll with his Seamanship skill. If the roll succeeds, then no harm is done. If the roll is failed, then the vessel takes on water, suffers stress to its timbers or sails – or simply suffers overall wear and tear that requires maintenance and repair. The three basic classes of vessel are as follows:

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring Merchant galleys, with a smaller rowing crew manning perhaps 10 oars to the side, and cargo capacity for between 100 and 200 tons, are commonly used for shipping goods up and down the larger rivers, but are also used at sea. They are not capable of the sprint speeds that a war galley or sleek yacht can deliver, but have the same advantages when making a voyage in calm weather. Galleys cannot risk going out onto the water on a ‘no sailing’ day any more than a sailing ship can. The basic Seaworthiness for a Galley is 50%; however, the bigger it is, the less seaworthy. For every Size above Large, a galley’s Seaworthiness is reduced by 10%. War galleys are something of a hybrid between Galley and Transport, having some of the advantages of both, and have a Seaworthiness rating of 70%.

harbour, before it begins to suffer from the effects of the elements and general wear and tear. Whenever a ship is at sea for a period longer than its Range, it must make a Seaworthiness test. It must make a further test if it exceeds its Range x2, a third if it exceeds its Range x3, and so forth.

Transport

Ship Condition

The vessel is optimised for carrying a cargo, hence it typically has a lower length-to-width ratio (circa 4:1 but some, immense, vessels are more like 2.5:1), and deeper draught. Such vessels are usually the most resilient to heavy seas, but have to be anchored off-shore, or berthed in a harbour, rather than beached. The basic Seaworthiness of a Transport vessel is 70%.

Failed Seaworthiness tests always result in a reduction in the ship’s Condition – similar to when a character suffers from fatigue – that requires measures such as drying out the hull, repairs, re-caulking, careening, and so forth, to reverse. If too much deterioration is allowed to accumulate, the vessel eventually ships too much water, and begins to sink. A brand-new vessel starts life as Ship-Shape, and, once this has deteriorated, then it needs to undergo repairs and refitting to bring it back-up to top condition. However, if it has suffered damage to its Hit Points, it can never be restored to full Seaworthiness unless the Hit Point damage is repaired first.

Range

A vessel has a Range of one-tenth of its Seaworthiness. The range is the amount of time in days it can remain on the open sea – including riding at anchor outside a sheltered Ship Condition Table Condition

Speed

Skill Modifier

Repair And Refit Modifier

Ship Shape

-

Standard

-

Seaworthy

-

Standard

x1

-25%

Battered

-25%

Hard

x2

-50%

Swamped

-50%

Formidable

x3

-75%

Sinking

-100%

Herculean

x4

-100%

Range

Condition: The vessel’s state of repair. Speed: The effect of the ship’s condition on its movement rate. Skill Modifier: The effect of the ship’s condition on its handling, applied as a difficulty modifier to Seaworthiness, Seamanship or Boating rolls. Repair and Refit Modifier: Whether dealing with Hit Point Damage or Condition, repairing a vessel requires the entire crew to undertake an extended task with a basic Task Round Unit of an hour for a Personal vessel, six hours for a Small vessel, a day for a Medium size vessel, two days for large, four days for Huge, and so on. The Repair and Refit Modifier acts as a multiplier to the duration of the Task Round Unit. Range: Once a vessel starts taking on water, it needs regular bailing and other action by the crew to prevent deterioration. The result is a decrease in its range.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Ship To Ship Combat

Armour Points

Like any inanimate object, a vessel’s armour points are a function of its construction materials:

Much of the time, a contest between two vessels is, in reality, a combat conducted between their crews, which can be run according to the rules provided in RuneQuest. Nevertheless, the maneouvering that takes place to get into a position where one vessel can attack another – whether to grapple, or ram, or line-up a shot for an on-board siege weapon – is most easily dealt with using opposed Seamanship rolls between the two captains. In these cases, it can be helpful to have a few further details on hand about the ships. If a boarding action occurs the Battle Rules (starting on page 17) can be used to resolve the conflict, treating each crew as a separate unit.

Construction Bark, Skins, Leather

1

Reeds

3

Light Timber (Clinker Built)

4

Medium Timber (Carvel Built)

6

Heavy Timber

8

Hull Sheathing

Each +2 reduces Seaworthiness by 10%

Damage

Ship Statistics

The damage a vessel inflicts on another ship, or a creature, when there is a collision, is dependent on its Size. A vessel’s damage dice are based on the damage it will inflict if moving at a normal speed and striking an object that is not fixed in place, such as another ship or a creature in the water. If moving at ramming speed (15km/h or greater), add 1d6; if moving at a slow speed (8km/h or less), reduce damage by half. When two ships collide, their relative size is compared, and the damage inflicted adjusted accordingly in exactly the same way as when comparing parry damage. For example, If hitting rocks or a hidden reef, the ship’s Size-based damage is used against itself - however shallow draft vessels might gain a significant reduction in the right circumstances.

All ships have the following Attributes:

Movement Rate

All waterborne craft have a movement rate (measured in km/hour) reflecting their average sailing speed, if Wind STR permits. Vessels which can be rowed have an additional speed in parenthesis. This value indicates their top speed for short bursts, provided all hands are at the sweeps.

Size

A rough measure of the relative bulk of a vessel. The Size tells you whether this vessel is vulnerable to attack from collisions with other vessels, or can shrug off damage; just as when comparing weapon sizes in a parried attack. P = Personal S = Small M = Medium L = Large

Armour Points

H = Huge E = Enormous C = Colossal BC = Beyond Colossal

Crew

The minimum crew for a vessel is also a function of Size. Certain boats (Size P) are made to only require (or accommodate) a single crewman. A Small vessel has a minimum crew of 3, Medium of 5, Large of 10, Huge 15, Enormous 25, and Colossal 40. A craft being handled by an undersize, or skeleton, crew makes Seamanship rolls at least one grade harder. For larger oared vessels, such as galleys, bear in mind that oars are not the basic propulsion, but a substitute for sail, or an adjunct. As a result, it is the sailing crew that determines whether there are sufficient hands to manage the vessel. When the ship is in a situation where the oarsmen are required, then penalties for reduced rowing crew may apply.

Hit Points

Size also determines how many dice are used to calculate the ship’s Hit Points. Hit Points are an abstract measure of the ship’s size and structure. This tells you how much damage the vessel can take before it is in danger of foundering. Each time a ship receives one third of its Hit Points in damage, its Condition automatically deteriorates by one step. Thus, once a ship reaches zero Hit Points, it is either Swamped or Sinking. If the vessel continues to take damage, and reaches a negative score equal or greater than its starting Hit Points, it breaks up completely.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring Sample Vessel Types and Statistics Vessel

Class

Movement Rate

Size

Typical Crew

Armour

(Min-Max)

Points

Hit Points

Damage

Raft, Small

U

2.5 (3)

P

1-4

4

1d6+3

-

Kayak

U

(7.5)

P

1

1

1d6+6

-

Dugout

U

3 (5)

P

1-6

8

1d6+6

-

Rowing Boat

U

(3.5)

P

2-8

4

1d6+6

-

War Canoe

U

27 (12)

S

3-6

1

1d6+6

-

Small Fishing Boat or Skiff

U

7.5 (3)

S

3-8

4

1d6+9

-

Raft, Large

U

2

M

5-8

4

2d6+6

1d3

Reed Galley

U

2.75

M

5-12

3

2d6+12

1d4

River Transport

T

5.5 (5)

M

5-18

4

2d6+18

1d6

Viking Longboat

G

15 (10)

L

10-60

4

2d6+18

2d6

Small Merchantman/Cog

T

11

L

10-25

4

2d6+30

2d6

Small Galley

G

9.25 (17.5)

H

15-30

6

3d6+24

3d6

Medium Merchantman

T

9.25

H

15-50

6

3d6+30

3d6

Bireme

G

8.5 (19)

H

15-100

6

3d6+40

3d6

Trireme

G

7.5 (21)

E

100-200

6

4d6+60

4d6

Large Merchantman

T

8

E

25-60

6

4d6+72

4d6

Hexareme

G

8 (17.5)

C

40-300

6

5d6+90

5d6

Grain Transport

T

7.5

C

40-120

8

5d6+120

5d6

Imperial Battle Barge* G 7.5 BC 100-1000 8 6d6+150 *The sort of vessel a decadent, ultra-wealthy empire might use to control the seas - something the size of a floating town.

Ship Quality

6d6

seamanship skill of less than 26% is at a Formidable grade. Professional crews of 51-75% has no effect on the Seamanship roll, while 76% and above make the roll Easy.

Seaworthiness and other attributes can be improved – or indeed reduced – by using the Manufacturing and Quality rules provided in RuneQuest (see RuneQuest page 102). Spells, enchantments and other factors may also make a difference. AP: Add 1 per enhancement HP: Add the minimum of the dice being rolled, counting each +6 as an additional die (so 4d6+60 becomes 4d6+74) per enhancement. For example, Enhancement provides +1 per dice (4), and +1 per +6 added to the dice (10). In this case 4d6+60 becomes when enhanced 4d6+60+14 = 4d6+74. Movement Rate: Increase by 1km per hour Seaworthiness: Increase by +5% per enhancement If a boat builder or shipwright fails to properly complete the extended task project to build a vessel, the effect is usually to reduce the vessel’s Seaworthiness.

Other Features

There are other ways to augment or improve a ship – some examples are given here.

Ships With Personality

As a major construction, and something that people place a great deal of faith in, it is common to invest a vessel with personal attributes – and in RuneQuest this can, of course, mean actually binding a spirit into it to, literally, bring it to life. For example, some Meerish cults use an Awaken miracle to summon one or another deity to inhabit their ships – or even a part of the ship, such as the spur or ram.

Ships As Temples And Shrines

Crew Quality

Larger vessels are routinely consecrated, and a sea captain may well act as a priest for his crew (at the very least being of acolyte status).

The quality of a ship’s crew (their average skill) affects the difficulty of the captain’s Seamanship rolls, with a skill of 26-50% delivering Hard rolls. A green crew with an average

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Ship’s Weaponry

the Ship Elementals table), then the conjured elemental will affect the vessel. A sylph filling the sails can make the winds blow stronger or safer, improving the ambient sailing conditions by one step (see page 5), depending on the caster's wishes. Every two Intensities the sylph is larger than the minimum (or one Intensity, if using bound elemental spirits), this bonus in increased by an additional step An undine, on the other hand, can be used to float and propel a vessel, providing motive power equivalent to a Poor Wind, enabling it to make progress without either sail or oar. It can also reduce a ship’s draft whilst crossing shallows, refloat it if grounded, and prevent the ship from sinking if it is holed. Smaller sylphs or undines can stack their strength together as a substitute for a sole larger one, but, in this case, the number of lesser intensity elementals must be equal to the square of 1 plus the shortfall in Intensity. For instance a Viking ship requiring a Summon Sylph Miracle of minimum Intensity 8 to boost its sailing speed, could instead use four Intensity 7 sylphs to substitute, or nine Intensity 6 sylphs, and so on, all the way to sixty-four sylphs of Intensity 1. In the case of Animism, bound elementals confer the same advantages as summoned ones, save that the effects are permanent until the binding is broken. See the Ship Elementals table for the alternate Intensity value required for binding spirits into a vessel.

Ships can be fitted with weapons with which to hurl missiles at enemy vessels, or to give them an edge in shipto-ship combat.

Rams

A galley can be augmented with a ram, which adds +1 Damage per dice it can inflict on an enemy vessel. Hence, a Trireme at ramming speed will inflict 5d6+5 Damage when it strikes an enemy ship. A ram enables the Sunder Special Effect, and also enables the naval equivalent of the Bleed special effect: Breach Hull. If the attacker’s player chooses Breach Hull, the defender must make an immediate Opposed roll of the ship’s Seaworthiness against the original attack (Seamanship) roll. If this fails, the defender is now holed below the waterline, and, until some emergency measures or repairs are taken, must make a further Seaworthiness roll every 15 minutes or the ship’s Condition will deteriorate by one grade.

Siege Weapons

Sufficiently large ships may mount a single siege weapon. The size of the siege weapon carried cannot exceed the ship’s own without causing stability problems; for every step by which this limit is exceeded, all Seamanship and Seaworthiness rolls are one grade harder. Conversely, mounting a siege weapon smaller than the maximum permitted allows one extra weapon, per step difference, between the two. Thus a Bireme permitted to mount a single mangonel, could install two ballistae instead. Siege Weapon

Size

Scorpion

M

Ballista

L

Mangonel

H

Onager

E

Couillard

C

Trebuchet

BC

Flying Ships And Submarines

It is possible for a large enough sylph to hold a vessel aloft, enabling it to fly through the air, or for a sufficiently big undine to wrap itself around the vessel, holding water at bay while it moves beneath the waves. The basic requirement for this is a single elemental of an Intensity three times that required to assist the vessel's movement. Ship Elementals Table Vessel Size

Elementals

The use of an Elemental Summoning miracle together with Extension – or an Evoke Elemental spell with sufficient Duration or Enchant applied – can enable a captain to make use of the power of an elemental for the full length of a voyage. So long as the Intensity of the Summoning or Evokation magic matches the minimum requirements (see

9

Minimum Elemental Required Spell Intensity

Spirit Intensity

Personal

2

1

Small

4

2

Medium

6

3

Large

8

4

Huge

10

5

Enormous

12

6

Colossal

14

7

Beyond Colossal

16

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Encounters at Sea

When at sea, a high proportion of the encounters a vessel can run into are likely to be natural phenomena that are, nevertheless, the most common source of peril and disaster. Check once per day; there is a 20% chance of an encounter.

Change in the weather

An immediate re-roll to the Sailing Conditions, that takes effect within 1d3 hours.

Dangerous Current

An unexpected, but powerful, current pulls the vessel from its course. It may be natural in origin – but it is just as likely that some supernatural forces are at work beneath the waves, and this current is a by-product. The captain must make a Seamanship roll to compensate or to escape the current: Roll 1d6 to determine the level of challenge: 1 Easy; 2-4 Standard; 5 Hard; 6 Formidable. For every failure until a successful roll is made, the vessel is pushed off course by 1d6 x10 km, or six hours’ sailing

Fishing Fleet

If close to land, these are a collection of 1d10+4 little fishing boats from the nearest coastal settlement, with a handful of crew, or a team of vessels working together to

hunt a large shoal. Further out to sea they may be bigger vessels after bigger fish.

Flying Predator

Wyrms, harpies and (even more rarely griffins) can be found roosting on remote islands, or desolate shores, and spreading their hunting territory over the sea. Few such creatures are able to take off again if they hit water, but they are more than capable of taking someone from the deck of a ship.

Fog

All visibility beyond 50m is lost. The fog lasts for 1d6 hours before clearing, in which time the vessel may become lost unless it has non-visual means of navigation. A Navigate roll is required not to stray from course.

Grounded

The vessel runs aground in shallows or on a sandbank, causing an immediate Seaworthiness test. The captain and crew have to find a way to get-free by jettisoning cargo, being dragged or towed to deeper water, or reducing draft through other means. If a vessel runs aground it gets stuck and needs both a feat of Seamanship, and 1d3 hours of work, to get free. Running aground results in an instant Seaworthiness test, which is Hard for deeper drafted (Type T) vessels.

Sea Encounter Table Coastal Waters

Trade Routes

Deep Ocean and Wilderness

Encounter

01-15

01-17

01-19

Change in the Weather

16-19

18-21

20-23

Dangerous Current

20-33

22-31

24

Fishing Fleet

34-36

32

25

Flying Predator

37-41

33-37

26-30

Fog

42-50

38-39

31-33

Grounded

-

40-44

34-43

Island

51-55

45-51

44

Pirates

56-60

52-54

45-49

Reef or Submerged Rocks

61-70

55-76

50-75

Sea Life

-

78

76-79

Sea Monster

71-73

79-80

80

Shipwreck

74-80

81-85

81-89

Squall

81-86

86-92

90-93

Trade Ship

87-92

93-94

94

War Ship

93-94

-

-

Wreckers

95-00

95-00

95-00

Special

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Island

Squall

A small and uninhabited island less than 10km across. There is a 40% chance (or the Games Master may allow use of a Luck Point) that there is fresh water to be had, and, if so, there is also likely to be interesting or edible flora and fauna. Quite possibly inhabited by a creature, such places being ideal basking or nesting sites for monsters.

A contrary, and especially violent, storm rips at the sails and whips up the sea to dangerous heights. Such a squall has the potential to cause damage to a ship’s structure. For every hour a storm lasts, the captain must make a Seamanship roll to get his ship through undamaged. If a roll is failed, test the Wind STR as a percentage against the vessel’s Seaworthiness in an Opposed roll. If it succeeds, the Wind will inflicts Damage Modifier directly to the vessel’s Hit Points, bypassing its Armour Points, in addition to the usual effects of a failed Seaworthiness roll. Storms vary in duration and ferocity according to the season. The Storm’s Ferocity is used as its combined STR+SIZ on the Damage Modifier table to determine how much damage it can do to a ship when the captain fails to manage the ship through the storm’s fury.

Pirates

A warboat with a crew of 1d4+2 x10 warriors and sailors. They will always attack if they have the odds very much in their favour – but pirates will not choose to get into a fight they don’t think they can win.

Reef or Submerged Rocks

A ship that is driven onto a reef or rocks inflicts its own damage on itself, adjusted for speed. A ship can continue to take damage as the wind and waves pound it against the rocks, over and over until it eventually breaks-up. In each subsequent 15 minute period, until such time as the ship gets free of the rocks, it must succeed in a Seaworthiness roll, or the Wind STR inflicts its Damage Modifier. Many times there are no opportunities to escape the hazard without recourse to magic, and it is only a matter of time before the ship is torn apart. The beleaguered crew simply have to attempt to save themselves, and anything else they value, before they, too, are lost.

Season

Duration (hours)

Squall Ferocity (STR)

Summer

1d4

1d20+75

Spring, Autumn

1d8

1d20+90

Winter

1d12

1d20+105

Trade Ship

Choose or Roll 1d6:

1d6

Sea life

1-3

Sharks or dolphins, flying fish, a swarm of poisonous jellyfish, a huge shoal of tunny, a pod of whales – something delightful, useful or simply frightening offered up by the Ocean Gods.

Encounter A small trader from the nearest port that normally plies coastal routes

4-5 A large ship carrying bulk commodities 6

Sea Monster

Offshore, a giant crab, or octopus, is a likely encounter; in deeper water, a sea serpent. These creatures are big enough to take on a Small or Medium vessel, but otherwise target individual characters that they might grab from the deck, or contrive to knock into the water to more easily drag the prey beneath the waves and be devoured.

A merchant ship from a distant land, possibly carrying a cargo of exotic goods. Larger vessels may be a joint venture in which several merchants have placed their hopes of making a fortune

War Ship

A large vessel, with an armed crew, from a nearby civilised port, who could be on exercise, or on patrol, carrying dispatches, escorting a dignitary or on a raiding mission.

Shipwreck

Wreckers

One or more shipwrecked sailors, marooned on a coast and signalling for help; or adrift in a small boat; or even clinging to a piece of wreckage in the sea. Deeply grateful for rescue, they will reward as best they can for safe delivery to a port. Coastal shipwrecks may throw salvageable goods onto the shore.

Wreckers are people who live on a coast where there are treacherous rocks and sandbars, and are skilled at luring unsuspecting ships into difficulties. Once a vessel is foundering on their shore, they proceed to loot and pillage rather than rescue – perhaps killing or enslaving the crew, perhaps just leaving them to their fate.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Special

The swarm can divide into three smaller swarms, each with three Action Points and inflicting 1d3 Damage, in order to chase different victims around a ship. It is as potent, and as hungry, below the water as above it, so there is no escape by plunging into the sea.

Roll on the Special Encounters Table

Special Encounter Table 1d100

Encounter

01-15

Cataclysmic Storm

16-18

Colossal Sea Monster

19-22

Deadly Swarm

23-30

Divine Portent

31-55

Fleet

56-65

Loathsome Fog

66-77

Mysterious Island

78-85

Sirens

86-93

Merman Hellraisers

99-00

Zombie Ship

Divine Portent

Portents with a particularly maritime character – a great wave within which are seen a whole troupe of supernatural sea creatures: nereids and mermaids, tritons (sea satyrs), sea horses and the like; the sea turns the colour of blood, or seems to become as clear as glass revealing some mystery beneath the surface; a pod of dolphins appears to signal to the characters to change course or away from some danger or towards some new objective.

Fleet

A fleet of ships appears, signaling some momentous events are in train. Roll 1d6 or choose (see page 14).

Cataclysmic Storm

This is a storm of such terrible ferocity, with black skies and inky seas, awesome waves of terrifying height and winds impossible to withstand, that there is no hope of survival – except that offered by providence, and all that is certain is that even the survivors can expect a major change of fortune. The characters’ ship is certain to be lost beneath the waves, or dashed to matchwood upon the rocks. Its occupants’ lives depend on magic, divine intervention, or sufficient Luck Points to secure success in a Herculean Endurance, Survival or Swim test, to ride out the storm until washed up on a strange shore (or are left clinging to a piece of wreckage in the ocean when the fury finally passes).

1d6

Fleet Type Migration Fleet: This is a whole community at sea – perhaps refugees aboard their great ocean rafts; or

1-2

a small fleet of colonists searching for a new land in which to settle; or even a party of colonists, seeking refuge. The fleet comprises 1d6x100 souls, and includes women and children. War Fleet: Whether it has set out to mount an invasion of a foreign shore, or is set to engage an enemy in a battle at sea, a war fleet is a terrible sight; the largest number more than 100 ships of war, and occupy several square kilometres of ocean. The fleet

Colossal Sea Monster

3-4

One of the terrible predators of the deep decides the characters’ ship is interesting prey. Use the statisticss for a Giant Octopus or Sea Serpent, but increase SIZ and STR by +30 (or even more), and increase the Size/Force and basic damage of its attacks accordingly. Or, present a unique monster, such as a jellyfish 100m across, and capable of sending electric shocks through its prey. Such creatures are capable of taking on, and sinking, even the largest oceangoing vessels. A monster of this size may be the instrument of some god’s, sorcerer’s or arch-priest’s power.

is accompanied by a great number of transports, carrying troops and supplies. A fleet will have fast, light, ships detailed as scouts, and to intercept any vessel that might be a threat, or could give its position away. It will also have significant magical capabilities, enhancements and other supernatural help. Merchant fleet: This merchant fleet comprises three, large, galleons, probably all belonging to a

5

wealthy trading family or association. They may look helpless but are likely crewed by marines, or have hired muscle to protect the cargo from pirates and

Deadly Swarm

chancers.

A bizarre swarm of tiny, flying creatures bursts from the water and attacks the characters. This swarm is of terrible size (40+), with 6 Action Points and inflicting 1d8 Damage with bites from the creatures’ tiny, razor-sharp teeth.

Pirate Fleet: It is extremely rare for pirate captains to 6

cooperate in a venture, but this gathering of seaborne villains and other hangers-on has created a shortlived alliance of 1d6+4 warboats.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Loathsome Fog

an alchemist, but even in its raw state is worth perhaps 500 SP per dose. ҉҉A single tree bearing a single small fruit, and, at its base, is a terrifying creature – perhaps a chimera or an immense serpent – that must be overcome to reach the tree and take its fruit. Whoever eats the fruit immediately receives a combined Cure Malady, Heal Body, Heal Mind and Rejuvenate Miracle with a Magnitude and Intensity of 15. The tree will take 1d6+20 years to grow another fruit. The island is a fabled and sought-after location, and many kings have sent expeditions to try to find it. Aside from a random encounter, it can only be found with directions from a supernatural source – an ocean deity or a powerful spirit, perhaps.

A thick fog bank rolls in; once it covers the characters’ ship, it has an oppressive feel and reeks with the stench of dead things thrown up on the sea shore. Within the confines of the fog lurk terrifying sea-wraiths, evil spirits well known to anyone steeped in the lore of the sea. The wraiths are as described in RuneQuest. 1d6+3 in number, they have the appearance of spectral sailors, some bloated in death, others draped in seaweed or crawling with sea life; or with bits of their flesh nibbled away by the fishes. They may be costumed as contemporary crewmen, or in the archaic garb of a long lost era. Sea-wraiths are able to operate beneath the water as well as on the surface – and can appear to walk upon the waves, trying to climb aboard any vessel that is not Consecrated, to get at the crew. They cannot follow a victim onto dry land.

Sirens

Mysterious Islands

The characters encounter an island that is home to 1d6 sirens (see page 16). The sirens' song becomes audible within 1d100 x10 metres of their rocky island and begins to lure the sailors in. These sirens are human females with POW 16 and CHA 21 - goddesses of song and beauty that have lured scores of mariners to their doom over many centuries. A cave on the island is filled with the bleached bones of previous victims, and there are 1d8 current victims already on the island, all in advance states of malnutirion and dehydration, but too intoxicated to leave the island. Can the characters resist the sirens' call?

An unexpected landfall; a tiny island less than 1km across, with a remarkable feature as created by the Games Master, or picked from the following: ҉҉A scatter of bones and random treasures; there are jewels, coins and gems worth 1d10 x 1,000SP, to be gathered up, but the task will take some time. Before it is complete, a monstrous creature that nests here will return. This should not come as a complete surprise – if the island is the nesting site of a giant bird, there may be fragments of eggshells and immense feathers littered about. If it is the basking site of some sea monster, there may be huge faeces and, perhaps, ominous drag marks where it hauls itself in and out of the water. ҉҉An outcrop of rock containing a rare, blue mineral that negates magical effects on contact. It is relatively soft and can be harvested as a grit or powder with minimal tools and effort. This substance can be used to render an item or person to which it is applied immune to spells for up to 12 hours or until removed. It can also be used to neutralise magic if applied to an object or person that is already under the effect of a spell. A weapon covered in the stuff will pass right through magical protection spells. One dose (50g) is sufficient to cover a medium-sized weapon, a piece of armour, or a human-sized hit location. It is possible to gather 1d10 doses for every hour of scraping and collecting. The mineral is capable of being refined by

Merman Hellraisers

If several mermen (see page 15) coordinate their powers, the effect on a ship at sea can be devastating. This gang of ocean trouble-makers is led by a merman warlord, who is half man, half sea serpent. He and his gang of fellow mermen (1d4+3 of them) are often belligerent and spoiling for a fight just for the sake of it – but they may well demand some sort of payment or service in return for leaving a ship unmolested.

Zombie Ship

This vessel is simply lost or adrift. A reed galley perhaps, hardly suitable for the open ocean, rowed by tireless zombies and crewed by barbarous, cannibal pirates. The crew includes a captain, a priestess (shaman) and a master at arms, a rowing crew of 30 zombies; a gang of six Slargr mercenary overseers and warriors; and a number of slave deck hands, - captives from recent raids.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l Ships & Seafaring

Example Ships

The Shackle, a Badoshi Slaver Movement

The Spear of Myceras, A Meerish War Galley Movement

Crew Dimensions Capacity

12 officers and sailors, plus 60 rowers if at full complement or 16 man skeleton or 30 man half-crew). A further dozen men as marines when fully fitted for war. Length 27m, Beam 4m, Freeboard 1.5m 50 Tons H

Hull Type

G

Armour Points

6

Hit Points

56

Seaworthiness Range Armaments

13

Dimensions

Sail (1 mast, square rigged) 8.5km/h, 60 oars 19km/h

Size

Sail (1 mast, lateen rigged) 11km/h

Crew

Length 22m, Beam 4.5m, Freeboard 2m

Capacity

80 Tons

Hull Type

T

Size

L

Hit Points

40

Armour Points

4

Seaworthiness

70%

Range

7 2 x Scorpion (arbalest) mounted on the fore and aft decks, Damage 3d6

Armaments

Thanks to space devoted to keeping human captives under lock and key the Shackle usually only has a capacity of about 20 tons for regular cargo. However she can hold some 40 captives, and more if the captain is willing to risk a higher chance of damage to his stock, or simply chain them on deck.

55% 6 Spur. Ramming Damage 3d6+3

The Spear of Myceras is a typical coastal defence bireme, swift and nimble. Stationed aboard is a priest capable of conjuring an Intensity 10 Undine. When summoned, the undine is large enough for the ship to make (slow) progress without even oars or sail, or prevent ithe ship from sinking completely if battle damaged. Its veteran crew grants the captain a bonus to all Seamanship rolls making them one grade easier.

The Axeneya, a Large Merchant Ship Movement Crew Dimensions Capacity

Sail (2 masts, square rigged) 8km/h 35 Length 37m, Beam 7.5m, Freeboard 2.5m 250 Tons

Size

E

Hull Type

T

Hit Points

87

Armour Points

6

Seaworthiness

80%

Range Armaments

8 None; Damage 4d6

The Axeneya is a Meerish merchant galley captained by Hermestone of Meeros, the eldest daughter of Trimostones the Gold, the city-state's most successful merchant. Trimonstones is old now, and so his daughter has taken over the running of the family trading operations. The Axeneya is named for a minor sea goddess which is the patron of Hermestones' family. She is a well crafted and elegant trader, with her figurehead carved into the form of Axeneya rising from the waves.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l New Creatures

New Creatures Mermaids & Mermen

A combination of human and fish (but this may easily be a combination of human and shark, or squid, eel, seaserpent or sea-horse – any aquatic species), mermaids and mermen have a reputation for mischief, petulance and, sometimes, violence, that colours the stories of many an old sea-salt. Mermaids are often depicted as beautiful temptresses and, sometimes, they are; but their looks are as wide ranging as full humans – as are their temperaments. All mer-creatures have the upper bodies of humans and the lower half of the chosen sea creature. They have the Aquatic, Echolocation, and Swimmer abilities. Mer-creatures that are half-shark also have the Blood Sense ability, and tend to be fond of human flesh. Naturally enough they are worshippers of the various gods and goddesses of the seas, or propitiate the spirits of the oceans if they are of an animistic tradition. Mercreature magicians tend be theists and animists, having no concept of sorcery, but some are also mystics and mystical traditions are strong in many mer-creature communities. Where mer-creatures have magic that is capable of summoning and/or controlling other creatures, they have Characteristics (Ave)

a natural tendency to call on the kind of creatures of their hybrid. Animists can also enter the Spirit World of the ocean and call upon the spirits of those who have drowned – as well as the usual array of spirits in their aquatic forms.

Attributes

1d20

Location

AP/HP

3

1–3

Tail

2/7

+1d2

4–6

Dorsal Fin

2/7

14

7–9

Hindquarters

2/8

12m (swimming)

10-12

Chest

0/9

15

13–15

Right Arm

0/6

Scales (lower body)

16–18

Left Arm

0/6

19–20

Head

0/7

STR: 2d6+6 (13)

Action Points

CON: 3d6 (11)

Damage Modifier

SIZ: 3d6+6 (17)

Magic Points

DEX: 3d6+6 (17)

Movement

INT: 2d6+6 (13)

Strike Rank

POW: 3d6 (14)

Armour

CHA: 3d6

Abilities

Aquatic, Echolocation, Swimmer

Magic

Folk Magic (POW x3%; 1d4 spells): Beastcall, Calm, Co-Ordination, Glamour, Mindspeech, Pathway, Slow Plus appropriate Higher Magic - Theism or Animism - according to need

Skills: Athletics 75%, Endurance 55%, Locale 80%, Stealth 90%, Survival 75%, Willpower 45% Combat Style: Mer Creature Defence (Harpoon, Trident, Unarmed, Tail Bash): 65% Weapon

Size/Force

Reach

Damage

AP/HP

Harpoon

M

L

1d8+2+1d2

4/4

Trident

M

L

1d8+1d2

4/10

Tail Bash

M

M

1d4+1d2

As For Tail

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls l New Creatures

Sirens

carry for great distances – up to a kilometre or more – and the closer one is to the song, the harder it is to resist. A single siren can Beguile a number of victims equal to her POW: and sirens are rarely found alone; a typical colony numbers 1d10 individuals. Failing to resist the siren compels the victim to go to the siren's side, whatever the conditions, whatever the circumstances. Once ensnared by the music the victim cannot attempt to resist for another full day and, of course, the closer one is to the siren, the more difficult (and futile) resistance becomes. Once at the siren's side, the victim may be lavished with love, beauty, praise and delicate kisses. The sirens never indulge in sexual congress with their victims: they have no concept of, or need for, sex; but they do cause their victims to fall hopelessly in love or become hopelessly filled with ennui. Until the victim resists, or is hauled away by someone immune to the siren's call, he (or she) is powerless. All they want and need is the siren's music, attention and embraces. Food and water are forgotten. In time, they will die. Those who manage to resist the initial strains of a siren must still attempt to oppose the Beguilement every day, but do so at the Standard grade, even when close to the siren. Sirens are puzzled by those who resist their song. They do not attack, but they are saddened by those they cannot beguile and this may create the chance for someone to convince a siren to stop singing and release her victims – which they can do. How does one convince a siren to release her companions? That is something for characters to discover through roleplaying and ingenuity, but sirens are simple, vain creatures, who adore beautiful things and so might be swayed by some treasure or other form of companionship. Despite their natures, sirens are beloved of their goddess. Physically harming or killing a siren brings about the enmity of the goddess which takes the form of curses, misfortune, spirits of reprisal and other supernatural torments that may last a lifetime.

In Greek myth the sirens are described in varying forms: sometimes as beautiful women with haunting voices; sometimes as a mixture of birds and women (not far removed from harpies). In most tales it is agreed that they are related to the goddesses of the seas, although they are not, themselves, aquatic creatures, but instead inhabit small islands far from the mainland, where they lure mariners to their doom with their haunting, enigmatic voices. In RuneQuest, a siren can take one of many forms: they can be beautiful young women, seemingly human, or they can be harpy-like (see RuneQuest page 363), or even iqari-like (RuneQuest page 366), but with human, rather than raptor, heads. Use appropriate statistics. What all sirens have in common is the magical ability to beguile with their voices and musical instruments. Sirens crave companionship: they abhor being alone and isolated and so use their song and music to lure companions to their sides and keep them there for as long as possible. They do not mean to be cruel; sirens do not inflict physical harm on those they beguile. Indeed, they love, passionately, those who stay with them. Their danger though, lies in their inability to understand or perceive human needs and requirements. Sirens are immortal: they have no need for food, water, warmth or any of the usual biological and environmental essentials. They also have no sense of time: an hour and a year are the same to a siren. And this inability to understand humans – whom they adore – means that, inevitably, they kill them. Some are driven mad by the attention; others fall into a deep reverie and simply starve to death or die of thirst. When caught by the siren's song, only the strongest escape. Every siren has the skill of Beguile at 100+POW % (POW based on whatever form the siren takes – 3d6 for human). Anyone hearing the sound of the siren's music must make an opposed roll of Willpower against the siren's Beguile. Furthermore, the grade of the Willpower roll is based on the proximity of the victim to the siren. A siren's music can Distance

Willpower Grade

POW x1 metres

Herculean

POW x5 metres

Formidable

POW x10 metres

Hard

POW x20 metres

Standard

POW x40 metres

Easy

POW x80 metres

Very Easy

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Shield Walls & Battles

C

d

In a battle, warriors are subject to different dynamics than regular hand-to-hand combat, much of which is dictated by the limited space to wield a weapon, the inability to use footwork, and attacks that can come from any direction to either side, or, indeed, from above or below. No matter how hard you try, there is little hope of doing more than occasionally wounding an enemy when a chance opening occurs, then watch in frustration as they are shifted to the side by the constant jockeying of formations, or drop to the ground, beyond reach. Worse still, you yourself might suffer a terrible wound and be utterly unable to retreat due to the surrounding press of warriors. Even if you are fortunate enough to take out a foe or two, unless you work together protecting your compatriots to either side, they may be injured instead, or lose faith in your ability to ward them. Once morale starts to fray, the formation will begin breaking apart, leaving you exposed to several attackers simultaneously and, in a matter of moments, you’ll be overrun; cut down or captured by the victorious enemy no matter how skilled a fighter you are. Melee between formations is therefore like no other combat environment: a crushing hell of pinned shields, trapped weapons, sweat, blood, tears, fear and helplessness in the face of approaching death. This is the true reality of combat upon the Ancient and Medieval battlefield.

ombat is a staple of most campaigns, yet attempting to recreate even minor skirmishes, with several dozen troops, using the personal combat rules is likely to lead to prolonged and frustrating melees. The Rabble and Underlings rules (see RuneQuest page 164) can offset the problem to a degree, but running an entire battle at the unit level is still beyond the scope of the core game. The following rules have been created to permit characters to participate in full scale battles, whether they are mere line troops or the leader of an entire army. When running such an event during a gaming session, players must accept that the role of their characters is going to be limited, and their fate probably beyond their personal control, unless they, themselves, are acting as commanders.

Realities of Battle

Perhaps the most important concept to understand is that battlefield combat is not the same as single combat. You might be the most feared champion of your city, or the greatest gladiator ever known, but still die like a dog in a shield wall. Whilst a duel or street brawl allows freedom to attempt feints, and the luxury to focus on a sole opponent, on the battlefield such individual prowess is secondary to formation, morale and above all, teamwork.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls d Shield Walls & Battles

Battle Components

Command Skill

The skill used by commanders to control their troops. Usually this is the Lore (Strategy and Tactics) skill, but Influence or Oratory, at a more difficult skill grade, can be substituted if a commander does not have Lore (Strategy and Tactics). The foundation skill can also be augmented by a suitable Passion to arrive at the overall Command skill roll.

RuneQuest uses a number of specific terms to explain the core concepts of battles. They are further explained in later sections, but in overview these are:

Force

The combined body of troops sent to fight a battle, which can scale from a warband up to an entire army. A force is nominally made up of one or more units.

Phases of Battle

Unit

Battles have several distinct phases, from the selection of the battlefield, to the retirement of one side or the other, once the main battle has concluded.

A discrete unit of coordinated warriors under control of a commander. Each unit possesses a number of attributes depending on the type and training of its troops.

Battle Rounds

Formation

Length of time, usually about 15 seconds, during which casualties are inflicted upon either side, and, if superiority is gained, a commander can potentially order one or more Battle Actions.

A formation is the disposition a unit adopts upon the battlefield. Some units are trained in several different formations which they may select, depending on the tactical situation.

Battle Actions

Commander

Special orders which can be issued by a commander, if, and when, their unit gains a tactical advantage. The equivalent of Special Effects from personal combat.

The character in charge of what a unit does. The actual title depends on the game setting and the number of troops under their authority.

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RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls d Shield Walls & Battles

Forces, Units and Formations

Each side involved in a battle is referred to as a force. This is an abstract term because the nature and scale of a battle can vary wildly. A force can comprise of one or more units, and each unit can be something as small as a bodyguard or warband, or as large as a phalanx or legion. The scale is up to the Games Master to decide. In small scale engagements each force is likely to be a single unit, fighting under the control of a sole commander – say a warband under the command of its warleader, or a company of city militia led by its sergeant. Battles involving forces of a single unit are relatively swift to conclude and require very little use of tactical maps and markers to resolve. For larger battles, forces can reach the scale of armies, which are, themselves, usually broken down into three parts: a strong centre, and two ‘wings’. In most cases the centre and wings are treated as individual units, each under its own commander, with the overall battle plan predetermined by the leading, or superior, of the three. However, some battles are so large that each deployed element is formed from multiple units.

Formation Types

A formation is the tactical disposition a unit of warriors forms, provided that they possess the relevant Combat Style Trait, and have trained in that particular formation. Without the correct trait, it is impossible to coordinate individual unit members as an effective team and ensure they apply the correct tactics. Depending on the period and culture, more elite professional units may train their warriors in several formations to grant them more

flexibility. For instance, despite learning the Shield Wall trait a Viking warband may only know how to form a line formation, whereas a Roman legionary, with the same trait, could adopt line, block, wedge and tortoise. The following list offers guidance as to which Combat Style Traits are applicable for particular formations, and their benefits.

Broken Formation

Trait: None Move: Up to sprinting speed Effects: Cannot engage any other formation, but can be engaged – in which case it inflicts no damage on the enemy unit.

Skirmish Formation

Trait: Skirmishing, Beast-Back Lancer, Mounted Combat or Trained Beast Move: Up to running speed Effects: Allows the unit to fight and move through broken terrain with no undue effects. They also suffer only half damage from ranged weapons. Conversely, a skirmishing unit only inflicts half damage, when engaged in hand to hand combat with close order infantry formations. Most skirmishing units offset this disadvantage with a higher movement rate and by use of ranged weaponry.

Line Formation

Trait: Formation Fighting, Shield Wall, Beast-Back Lancer, Mounted Combat or Chariot Fighting Move: Maximum of walking speed Effects: A close order formation that grants advantages over skirmishing units, but retains tactical flexibility. There is no limit to the frontage, or, for that matter, depth, but additional ranks only count as half when engaging phalanxes. Line formation grants the ability to overlap enemy units or split off part of its own strength to create a flanking element.

More Detail Needed?

These rules heavily abstract what happens in battle and make no effort to delve deeply into the minutiae of Ancient and Medieval warfare. The aim is to immerse players in the dangers of the battlefield while providing their characters with something worthwhile to do. Anyone wishing to run more complex, or historically accurate, battles is recommended to seek-out one of the many, many sets of wargame rules available for different periods of conflict.

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The Scarlet Spears Saga

For the purpose of illustrating the application and use of these battle rules, we shall return to the city state of Meeros and its army as described in the main RuneQuest rulebook. The army of Meeros has three main troop types. Meerish Slingers are lightly armed units specialising in hit and run tactics, primarily from range. Therefore they are only trained in the Skirmish formation. Meerish Infantry, on the other hand, are close order infantry trained in the Line and Phalanx formations and form the majority of the army. Last, but by no means least, are the Scarlet Spears who are skilled in Line, Phalanx and Wedge formations, being particularly adept in countercharging cavalry. The Scarlet Spears are a highly honoured unit of disciplined veteran warriors dedicated to serving the Queen and City of Meeros. At full muster, they have the following ratings: Strength 120, Morale 75%, and Competence 80%. Badoshi barbarian warbands, on the other hand, are a varied lot, depending on the tribe they come from. Most have ratings averaging: Strength 100, Morale 95% and Competence 70%, being insubordinate fanatics with a short lifespan.

RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls d Shield Walls & Battles

The Scarlet Spears Saga

The commander of the Scarlet Spears is Leontichus the Valiant, a famed warrior who once defeated a minotaur champion in a wrestling match. His personal prowess has faded but his grasp of strategy and powerful voice have only grown with age. With a Command skill of 103%, he is more than able to draw out the best from the Scarlet Spears. In recent years however, the unit's Competence has dropped to 80%, due to the questionable admission of less able candidates, such as the wastrel sons of senators. This watering down means that Leontichus' Command skill is capped to the same value. Whilst his battle knowledge is excellent, the Scarlet Spears are simply not good enough to enact his tactically brilliant orders.

Phalanx Formation

Trait: Formation Fighting or Shield Wall Move: Maximum of half walking speed Effects: A block of close order troops at least 8 ranks deep, which can push back or break through other units. The frontage of a phalanx, once engaged, cannot be changed even by use of a Battle Action (page 28), leaving it vulnerable to being overlapped or flanked. If armed with long or very long weapons, it cannot be frontally engaged by cavalry or chariots.

Circle/Square Formation

Trait: Formation Fighting or Shield Wall Move: Immobile Effects: A highly defensive, close order disposition, which can protect other troop types, or non-combatants, on the inside of the formation. This prevents the unit from being flanked or overlapped in exchange for tactical immobility. Like a phalanx, if armed with long or very long weapons, it cannot be engaged by cavalry or chariots.

Wedge Formation

Trait: Formation Fighting, Shield Wall, Beast-Back Lancer, Mounted Combat or Chariot Fighting Move: Maximum of walking speed Effects: Used against line or phalanx formations, this close order wedge relies on its shape to penetrate an enemy unit, doubling damage on the first round it engages. If this fails to disrupt or break the foe, it will itself fall apart on the following round, disintegrating into skirmish formation. The ‘frontage’ of a wedge is based upon its rear width and cannot exceed twice its depth (page 21).

Tortoise Formation

Trait: Shield Wall Move: Maximum of half walking speed Effects: A solid, close order formation relying on every warrior overlapping their shields around and above the unit, the tortoise provides complete protection against ranged attacks (except those imposed by siege engines). However, the unit is unable to initiate engagement with enemy troops until they change to a less restrictive formation.

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Unit Attributes

Irrespective of its overall size, every unit possesses a key number of attributes which are used during the engagement.

Unit Strength

This is the number of warriors comprising the unit: in effect, its Hit Points, with one warrior equalling one point of Strength. As a unit suffers casualties this number drops, until it reaches a critical level whereupon the formation breaks. At this point, the remaining warriors are considered ‘broken’ and must flee the battle or be utterly exterminated. When formed up, only warriors trained in a Combat Style which includes that formation trait can be counted towards the unit’s strength, otherwise they become a hindrance, or, even, a weak point.

Unit Morale

The average Willpower skill of the entire unit’s warriors. Note that this value can drop if a unit receives less experienced replacements to restore it to full strength, taking time to build back up again. Skill

Temperament

1-30%

Terrified

31-50%

Erratic

51-70%

Steady

71-90%

Disciplined

91-110%

Unwavering

> 110%

Fanatical

Unit Competence

The average Combat Style skill of the unit’s warriors. This acts as a cap to the unit commander’s Command skill (i.e, the Command skill cannot exceed the Unit’s Competence). The better trained the unit, the more able the commander can control it in battle. Skill

Expertise

1-30%

Cannon Fodder

31-50%

Green

51-70%

Seasoned

71-90%

Veteran

91-110%

Elite

> 110%

Heroic

RuneQuest: Ships and Shield Walls d Shield Walls & Battles

Unit Frontage and Depth

Whilst the number of participants is vital to determine the strength of a unit, its frontage and depth are also very important. The precise disposition depends on the type of formation the unit adopts. Frontage determines how many combatants are engaged at any one time and thus the potential damage the formation can inflict each round. Depth, on the other hand, provides stability to the unit, so that it is more difficult to push around or break through. Depth is measured in ranks, with each rank containing a number of men equal to the frontage. Surplus numbers, insufficient to form an entire rank, do not count towards its depth.

Unit Damage

The damage a unit inflicts is normally dependent upon its Frontage. This assumes rough parity in the weapons and armour used on both sides of the combat, between cultures which are used to each other’s tactics. The dice roll defines how many casualties are inflicted on the opposing unit that round, reducing its Unit Strength. Actual weapons and armour being used are less important than the teamwork employed to protect one another, and overwhelm their opponents. Unit Frontage

Damage